University of Wisconsin student journalist Tyler Mason has been named this year's recipient of the Big Ten Conference William R. Reed Memorial Award. The award is named in honor of former Big Ten Commissioner William R. Reed who served the conference for more than 20 years.

The conference annually honors the former commissioner by presenting this award to a student journalist from one of the 11 Big Ten campuses who, through his or her writing during the previous academic term, best exemplifies the spirit, ideals and dedication to the Big Ten and intercollegiate athletics which marked the life of William R. Reed.

A junior journalism major, Mason served as the sports editor and men's hockey beat writer for The Badger Herald during the last academic year and has written for the newspaper since 2006, also briefly covering the art and news beats. He is currently a summer sportswriting intern for the Wisconsin State Journal, covering the Milwaukee Brewers and Green Bay Packers. Mason, a three-year member of the UW Marching Band, aspires to become a sportswriter for a large daily newspaper in the Midwest covering a professional sports team.

A native of Eden Prairie, Minn., he is the son of Greg and Beth Mason.

Reed began his tenure with the Big Ten in the service bureau in 1939. Promoted to assistant commissioner in 1951, he served in that capacity until being named the third Big Ten Conference commissioner in 1961. His term as commissioner lasted until 1971.